New Orleans, trip 3

From wherever spring arrives to heal the ground…
From wherever searching comes (the look itself
A trace of what we’re looking for).
So be quiet now and wait. The ocean is growing.
The tide is coming in.
Here it is… Here is our King. Here is our love.
Here is our God who’s come to bring us back to Him.
He is the One. He is Jesus.

And what was said to the rose to make it unfold
was said to me here in my chest, so be quiet now
and rest. The ocean is growing. The tide is coming.
Here it is… He is our King. He is our love.
He is our God who’s come to bring us back to Him.
He is the One. He is Jesus.
Majesty. Finally. Here…

- “Here is our King” - David Crowder*Band -


Two days from now will be seven months. Seven months since the ocean grew… since the tide came in. Spring is arriving to heal the ground. Green grass is emerging. Colorful foliage spreads out across the land. Hope is there.

In the week that we worked in homes, came to know the stories of the people, and absorbed the entire experience, there wasn’t a doubt to be found that He was there. God was in this place. The truth is, he was there before the storm. He was there in the storm – in every droplet of water. He is there now.

You cannot take enough pictures or video to describe what is there. Homes atop cars – cars atop homes. Families searching for where remnants of their home might be, after days still struggling to find a piece big enough to identify it as their home. Homes collapsed. And yet beneath the rubble of brick walls and a roof torn in two, a fragile light bulb remains untouched. A photo still remains intact and clear. A dog survives for forty-two days on its own.

Amazing. It is the only word that fits. Indescribable.

We found God in a light bulb. In a photograph. In a dog we never met. God is in this place.

Hope in voices of the people. Workers doing more than they could ever do on their own. Scenes that look impossible. There is no logical explanation. There is only God.

We went to be in mission – to take God to these people. We left discovering that God was there all along, and that we’re only left to bring a little piece of Him back with us.

We were inspired. We were welcomed. We were loved. Good things are to be found there. In the midst of the destruction of such worldly things, hope remains, love remains, God remains.

No words can ever describe how this trip left us speechless… in awe of a God beyond description. We are only left with a smile. Knowing that He is our God. Our creator. Our love. The One. He is Jesus. And He came to bring us back to Him.

One Year Later

Wow. It's been a year since I started blogging. I just finished going back and reading every blog entry from the past year... it's amazing how far I've come since then. A year ago doesn't seem to be all that long ago, but in reading tonight, it seems like ancient history. There are some similarities, though. A year ago I was getting ready for an awesome spring break trip - and very excited about getting out of town for a week and maybe helping some others in the process. I'm sitting in the same seat again, at the same desk, with the same excitement.

With this excitement, and knowing how much the last spring break trip changed me and really shaped the last year of my life, I thought I'd reflect on some of the bigger things I've learned in the past year...

1. Firstly and most importantly, seek God with all of your mind, soul, heart, and strength, and love Him likewise. I could never convey anything more important than this.

2. Never become comfortable (this and others probably go along with numero uno). It is the moment that we become comfortable that we will find ourselves drifting from God. Why should we ever become comfortable in a world that we were not made to live in? In the words of another author, we are aliens in a foreign place. We should most certainly enjoy the gifts God has blessed us with (eg - His other creations), but being comfortable isn't really what we're called to be.

3. Be careful of finding one person (author, musician, preacher, leader, etc) that you learn most from. In other words - don't do it. Let the Word of God be your only source of guidance. Read other people and listen to others and definitely check out some of the awesome music out there - but don't let it replace the Word. Without the Word, where would we be?

4. I hear a lot of talk about unconditional love. About being a real friend to others. About doing anything for anyone else. About loving others as ourselves. If you're going to claim the name (or words in this case), do it in actions, and let the words follow (if they're needed at all). Too often we use words to say who we are... words can never describe some things - only our actions will define who we are... where our treasure is, our heart will be also. What is most important to us? What is our treasure? Seek to make the words you speak a reality.

5. Do everything in love. When you see wrong being done, speak up. When you see someone else falling, reach out a hand and try to pull them back up. Never do these things because you see yourself as elite - for the truth is that none of us are elite... we are all equally children of God. None better, none worse. God loves each of us equally. It is because of this love that we are called to love everyone whom we encounter, and help them as much as humanly possible (or maybe more?) to love our God with their all and everything.

6. Dream. Wonder. Think with the simplicity of a child. Anything is possible. We too often see our effort to give God everything as unreachable or with too many obstacles. The path he calls us to travel is not one we can do on our own... this is why He tells us that all things are possible. When the journey and life that He calls you to lead seems to be tough, read His words from Matthew 7... with God, nothing is impossible.

7. God's timing is perfect. He calls us to be patient... we should learn this trait as soon as we can. We can pray about something all day long and until we're red in the face, but ultimately, we must learn to be patient for God to act. Do not be anxious... so many times this past year I've been in a very bad situation, but by a miracle God alone is capable of, everything worked out.

Well, those are a few things. This past year has taken me to places I'd never thought I'd end up, and led me to some of the most incredible friendships I could have ever imagined. From Clemson to Florida to the Bahamas to New Orleans... God is awesome. Really. He leaves me in awe. So many times. Words could never do it justice.

I pray that this next 365 days might be as incredible as the last... with God as my guide, who knows where I'll end up. May I glorify Him in all that I do, and love without strings everyone whom I might encounter.

soooooooooooooo thankful, and with a smile bigger than the sun,
chris

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It's not about me.

Tonight I am with few words. Emotions are plenty. Sadness consumes me.

How have I made it about me? It is not about me.

My happiness is of no concern. Joy should never be what I seek. Nothing that I do should be for me - nothing.

I should be selfless. Caring nothing about myself. Never seeking to please myself. Seeking not to better myself.

I should only pour myself out for my God, and through Him, for everyone around me. Not pieces here and there - all of me, everything, being poured out for those around me.

No me. All to God.

Not later. Not one day. Today. Now. "Time's up! God's kingdom is here! Change your life and believe the message!"

To believe is to do. To do is to deny myself. All of myself. Completely. Wholly.

I must change my life. My life is not for me. It is for Him. It is His.

Father, grant me the strength to give myself away - every inch of me. Nothing left over. Not in words - words mean nothing. In truth - truth is all-powerful.

May others also seek such strength, and make their faith more than words. That is my prayer, O God. I desire to sacrifice all. Please help me make this come true.

I love you, O Father, creator of heaven and Earth. The whole world - all of creation - is full of Your glory. Halelujah! Halelujah in the highest!

seeking to truly, beyond words, surrender all,
chris

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Mark 1:15

A Prayer

Tonight I pray that I might be a light of joy to those who are around me - that I might inspire them and help guide them toward our Father.

I pray that I might seek out my Father more earnestly and that I might come to know Him more.

I pray that I might be a good friend to others and to do nothing less than love them more than I even love myself - that I might strive to love them as Jesus loves them.

I pray that people close to me would stop trying to find happiness and security in being with one other person - that they might seek their only happiness and security from our Father, and abandon these other relationships until they might find His calling and come to truly know Him more.

I pray that people close to me and I myself might come to abandon a need for physical closeness and seek only purity of heart, mind, soul, and body - and seek our only intimacy with God.

I pray that I might be a friend who others trust - who others might talk to and feel welcome to talk to in trust and confidence, truly knowing that the only reason I live is to love God and, thus, love them.

I pray that those whom I love so much might abandon all ways of this world and seek whole-heartedly after our Father and become closer to Him in all that we do.

I pray that this prayer might become more than words - that it might become reality. How joyful we might all be...

seeking Him whom I love beyond compare,
chris

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